Wednesday, July 29, 2015

A 43-bed shelter for homeless women on Lafayette Street at Bond Street has been sold for $26 million, The Real Dealfirst reported.

Aby Rosen's RFR Holding is reportedly the new owner.

Per The Real Deal:

The shelter is operated by the Center of Urban Community Services. The organization has run the facility, which it calls “the first ever dedicated to helping homeless NYC women suffering from mental illness to obtain permanent housing,” since 1988.

But the property’s days as a shelter appear to be numbered, with an RKF listing indicating the space is available for a “single tenant” retail opportunity in the third quarter of this year.

18 comments:

True story: when this city building became a homeless shelter the words Animal Center appeared over the entrance and a furor arose when NY'ers discovered the homeless were now housed in a building still labelled Animal Rehab Center -until enough protest forced the city to cover the granite inscription with a cheesy sign "Homeless Services"

This topic came up when the Salvation Army sold their building. They might buy a bigger building in Queens or the Bronx. They can say they have more room/beds and the homeless leave Manhattan. Makes everyone happy. Commenters here have agreed with that actually. Its a better use of resources right? Maybe these people will.provide a comment to EV Grieve regarding this.

It was only a matter of time. This is what happens when neighboring properties which surround a building get sold, torn down, rebuilt and re-sold for huge profits. Would you buy a condo for $3M+ for a place next to a homeless shelter? Some do..just look at the opera house on Bowery which is being turned into luxury units and is sandwiched between a mens shelter and NYU dorm. Seriously. Insane. Why not just pick the worst slum you can find and tear down a building right in the middle of it so you can put in a big mansion with a pool. Totally insane.The city mens shelter on E. 3rd between Bowery and 2nd Avenue is the one big remaining bastion of help for the homeless. But eventually it too will go as the surrounding buildings are renovated or replaced. Just wait.

If this was a serious comment and not tongue in cheek, you have no idea of the history of the EV and have no right to call yourself EV anything.

How many of those "vagrants" served in Viet Nam, Afghanistan and Iraq and have been physically and mentally damaged by what they did and saw? How many have been displaced because housing has become too expensive and homelessness has led to or exacerbated depression, resulting in drug and alcohol use? How many have had serious illnesses that wiped out any financial underpinning they might have had? How many have been through our inadequate mental health system and thrown out to clear out a bed for the newer person? You don't know anyone's story, they are only "vagrants" in your estimation.

Next question: how many of the bros and whohoos in the EV now will find themselves drug and alcohol addicted, weighted under by the debts they've accrued to live the lifestyle they choose today, can't pay student loans, etc. - and find themselves out on the street or living back home with mom and dad, or suffering from a mental illness they can't get a grip on ten or twenty years down the road??

Anon 2:33pm. I was simply repeating the attitude of the developers and sadly, some EV Grieve commenters. I am aware how there are angry protests in Queens and the Bronx. I dont support those who want the poor and destitute shipped out. But many EV residents do. That was my point. They prefer condos and Walgreens.

It makes no sense to splurge on some of the most expensive real estate in the US for a charitable mission that can just as easily be undertaken mere miles away. They may have bought it years ago when it was a bargain, but they would be able to exponentially expand and have much lower costs elsewhere. They could either buy a much larger property, multiple properties or hire more manpower by selling.

Also, @2:27, you are not the arbiter of who can call themselves EV or any other acronym. Nobody has to pretend to like belligerent vagrants based on hypothetical excuses that can be dreamed up for them. Your bleeding heart would be more convincing if you weren't smearing large groups of people yourself, so don't think you are fooling anyone with your high horse.

Anon at 2:27 pm. Ever been a client of these facilities? Your ideas are ridiculous. The clients are mostly middle aged black males from housing projects. They have no education or job skills. Many have never had a real job. They 'hustle' to make cash. Felony convictions and drug/alcohol comsumption are par for the course. Vets have seperate shelters- there is one in Queens - and vets are being housed. Rents? These guys have nevet had their own apt. Many read at a 2nd-3rd grade level and are unemployable. Where did you get these ridiculous notions-NPR? Ive been a client. The reality is not what you think. If they 'got thrown out to clear a bed' its because they violated the rules multiple times or the cops had to be called. The answer to 'how many....,,' is very few. Been there. Done that. My advice to you and everyone else is save your money and dont need to use a shelter. You dont have a clue about any of this.

This reminds me a little of the Martha Washington Hotel, where I lived when I first arrived in NYC. There were women living there for decades. Then they got (I imagine) displaced.

I wonder what happened to them. I know it's not the same, but in a way, it is. While it wasn't a homeless shelter, it was a very safe, cheap place for women to live.

Ev4Eva, I lived on that 3rd street block and passed the men's shelter several times a day, every day for over twenty years. I was never attacked or catcalled or anything by the residents. (I was by the workers building the Bowery Hotel.)

I sometimes heard drumming from inside the shelter, and hoped they were having fun. When I went to offer donations (men's clothes and a suitcase) I was treated with the utmost respect. When I was wheeling stuff to my storage space, several men respectfully offered to help. In contrast, the young moneyed whippersnappers were jeering as I was manoevering my stuff up and down the curb.

Take from this what you like. This is my past experience.

I can only hope provisions will be made for the ladies in the shelter.

You've provided another first-hand side to a situation. I appreciate it. The facility seemed to be a good neighbor to me (for a while though, in the late 80s, they were throwing their half-eaten sandwiches onto the opposite sidewalk.)

I'll be coming for a visit in December. Where should I give coats, clothing and bedding? I am guessing the Bowery Mission and the coat drive.

Anon 5:20 here. Sorry if I was harsh but - thankfully- most people have no idea about actually being in shelters, sleeping on subways etc. I actually have less sympathy than most because Ive been there. Housed folks believe whatever story they are told by someone who wants your sympathy and cash. Thats reality. Do any of you know how many sex offenders are in these shelters? I doubt it. Regarding donations- I think the NYC Rescue Mission does a good job distributing clothes. NYC Rescue used to do a big coat giveaway and a nice meal on Christmas to make it less depressing. There are no holidays when youre homeless. Thanskgiving and Christmas are the worst. Very sad and depressing. The NY Cares coat drive is good also. But donate used coats in good shape. Sadly guys have been robbed of nice new coats- or they sell them to get high.Same thing with sneakers. Guys sell items from clothing giveaways to buy alcohol. Also there are roughly 170 food pantries and soup kitchens in Manhattan. There are groups that got me eyeglasses, suits for interviews, haircuts, toiletries, clothes etc. A lot of these people want apts given to them. It easy in NYC to lose a job, lose an apt. Not easy to get it back. I dont know how they will house all these people. They all want to go on disability and get section 8 housing. Its amazing how all these folks are 'disabled'. Anyway-your generous donation will be greatly appreciated by someone who lives out of a backpack/duffel bag.

Oh, wait, are people actually feeling the wrath of Bloomberg- the mayor that bought a third term? Go suck it, you allowed this to happen. It's ridiculous to be alarmed when you vote or do not vote for a government that screws the homeless and mentally ill. You did this, and no one else. Get off your screen and fix it. Or it will get worse.

PTSD is a disability. So are a lot of mental health issues and diseases that when the patient is medicated appropriately, a person will appear totally normal and not deranged.

I was in a car accident in 1981 and left with irreversible brain damage—actually called traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Many diseases, including cancer, HIV, and diabetes, are considered disabling conditions.

Just a public service announcement: there is such a thing as invisible disabilities.

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